Opinion on the US

[Biomech]

The US Gov't. Is always trying to be the "WORLD POLICE" or what have you, but these so called "Guardians of Justice" have gone Megalomaniac as of late.
My friends in the EU say that it's pissing the big boys over there off. Ever since Nam in the 60's and korea before that we've being sticking our noses into everyones business.
Now the NSA is even ALL THE WAY in everyones business. Citizens, Foreigners, even God's if he didnt have the ALMIGHTY firewall. (Made in China) LOL they own US.

 What else is there left to do? US military has grown so big, than they need to constantly put it to use. They cannot simply disband everyone. Where will those people/equipment go. Work at mcdonalds? There's enough unemployment already.
 I always considered servicemen in most countries to be a waste of oxygen.
 I live in Latvia, it's a small country. If invaded by any of our neighbors - our military won't do shit. But it's still there, eating away our tiny budget. What for? Why the hell they buy new tech?
 If I came to power, one of the first things I would do - make those soldiers into part-time street-sweepers. To get at least some use from them.

Funny thing about that. Our 'dear leaders' are in violation of their oaths of office simply by HAVING a large standing army. It's specifically illegal, absent a congressional declaration of war, and supposed to be disbanded after two years even in that event (unless the war is still going on, and congress AGAIN votes to keep it). None of these preconditions have been met. The american military was supposed to disband down to levels consistent with maintenance by the end of 1946.

The reason, and this is not speculation, was exactly as stated above. Standing armies are a temptation to those with a lust for power. Making it difficult to have them at all was supposed to limit that temptation. But hey, as a recent unlamented parasite said of the constitution of the United States of Imbecilies err... America.... "It's just a goddamn piece of paper".

Centralization simply doesn't work for large populations. It works well for those at the top, but nobody else. Even with good intent. Which is sorely lacking in the ruling class.

[N4D3B337Z]

  LoL @""Dear Leaders"

[chowderman]

GO AMERICA!!! WE INVENTED FREEDOM!!!

[Kiki112]

The US Gov't. Is always trying to be the "WORLD POLICE" or what have you, but these so called "Guardians of Justice" have gone Megalomaniac as of late.
My friends in the EU say that it's pissing the big boys over there off. Ever since Nam in the 60's and korea before that we've being sticking our noses into everyones business.
Now the NSA is even ALL THE WAY in everyones business. Citizens, Foreigners, even God's if he didnt have the ALMIGHTY firewall. (Made in China) LOL they own US.

 What else is there left to do? US military has grown so big, than they need to constantly put it to use. They cannot simply disband everyone. Where will those people/equipment go. Work at mcdonalds? There's enough unemployment already.
 I always considered servicemen in most countries to be a waste of oxygen.
 I live in Latvia, it's a small country. If invaded by any of our neighbors - our military won't do shit. But it's still there, eating away our tiny budget. What for? Why the hell they buy new tech?
 If I came to power, one of the first things I would do - make those soldiers into part-time street-sweepers. To get at least some use from them.

Funny thing about that. Our 'dear leaders' are in violation of their oaths of office simply by HAVING a large standing army. It's specifically illegal, absent a congressional declaration of war, and supposed to be disbanded after two years even in that event (unless the war is still going on, and congress AGAIN votes to keep it). None of these preconditions have been met. The american military was supposed to disband down to levels consistent with maintenance by the end of 1946.

The reason, and this is not speculation, was exactly as stated above. Standing armies are a temptation to those with a lust for power. Making it difficult to have them at all was supposed to limit that temptation. But hey, as a recent unlamented parasite said of the constitution of the United States of Imbecilies err... America.... "It's just a goddamn piece of paper".

Centralization simply doesn't work for large populations. It works well for those at the top, but nobody else. Even with good intent. Which is sorely lacking in the ruling class.

the problem is that it's extremly difficult to fight those at the top as they are integrated into almost every part of the society..

[hawkeye]

Well put. I'm one of those who blame the USA for getting involved in the first place. It has never worked out well for us, and has often (regardless of intent) prolonged and exacerbated the conflicts.

The original foreign policy of the united states worked very well. Be the cheerleaders of liberty, trade with all, and entangling alliances with none. Our nation became the biggest powerhouse in the world via this policy, and has spent the last 114 years dismantling that progress.

Starting out with a government was the problem.   Rather than the rest of the world looking to America, your politicians looked to their counterparts in other countries and said "wouldn't it be great if we could set up a similar type of system here, especially with all the wealth here, imagine the power we could have".

Thinking the constitution was more than just a piece of paper was your downfall.

Not mine. I agree one hundred percent. But it was, prior to the constitution, a good start. The dream didn't die as quickly as the revolution, but by 1791 it had been crucified. By 1899 the good that had been done was fully on the run. By 1913 the parasites were firmly in control of the host. Now we have Rome, only even more corrupt.

True.  It held on a long time.  And there were a lot of good people who tried to enforce the good ideals through the decades and centuries.  Even today there is the occasional person like Ron Paul.  But the problem, at least from my POV, was that the structure was in place in 1788 and it was an inevitability from that point forward that you would lose your freedom.   It's a real shame, not only for you, but that the rest of the Western World politicians follow along, but I guess that's how empire has always worked.

I think though that the seeds of the new freedom, a true freedom this time, are being born mostly in America and spreading to the rest of the world as we speak.

[Sindelar1938]

I like the US

US foreign policies not always to my taste but I have no particular issue with the people of the US

[tvbcof]

I like the US

US foreign policies not always to my taste but I have no particular issue with the people of the US

I met a really cool guy today in my hometown.  He had and awesome workshop, and built his own very advanced plasma-cutting rig from scratch and it seems to work well.  He did it just for fun.  To top it off, he was a really nice guy who wasn't a conceited asshole or anything like that.  This is one of string of such people I've met around and about.  Like many of us, he had the resources to do such things which are denied to many in this world.  There are likely many such people around the world, and would be many more if everyone was rich.  But I think it is fair to point out that the U.S. is a diverse place with all kinds of people.  Some are fat wife-beating assholes.  Some are mindless flag-wavers.  Really, probably a majority of people have the basic instincts to be decent, and I expect that it is the same just about everywhere in the world.

Unfortunately it is hard to remember some of these things when U.S. foreign policy and empire building efforts are so disturbing.  I go through my own phases of demoralization and loss of confidence in the makeup of our nation.

[Kiki112]

I like the US

US foreign policies not always to my taste but I have no particular issue with the people of the US

most of them (not all) aren't aware of their surroundings, they think the USA is the center of the universe and I don't like them
there are some americans I completely respect because they aren't like this but the rest..

[Oldgamer]

Why not to talk about Iran foreign policy or freedom in North Korea?

[Biomech]

Why not to talk about Iran foreign policy or freedom in North Korea?

Aside from being a red herring, no reason.

I live in the Empire. I don't live in Iran or North Korea. But since you brought it up...

Iran, established in it's current borders during the British Mandate, formerly part of the Persian Empire. A State of (if memory serves) 27 million people, has a foreign policy of keeping their head down and flapping their tongues. They have never in their modern history invaded another country, unless you count pushing the Iraqi army back some twenty kilometers across the border in repelling their invasion.

During that same period, how many nations has the USA invaded (fuck the pretext, just the number.)

I don't know. I was born in the latter part of the first half of that history. But off the top of my head I get, in my lifetime or just before it, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Haiti (twice), Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Panama, Columbia (repeatedly)... And I know this is not a complete list.

During the aforementioned time frame, Iran has pushed for, gotten, and enforced economic sanctions (which only ever strengthen the radicals under them) against, again, no country. The Empire has pushed for, gotten, and enforced so many international sanctions that even THEY lose track.

Your flag waving is annoying, to say the least, but you should REALLY pick better negative examples. Just because the master whose boots you lick so lovingly wants to invade Iran doesn't make them a good negative.

As for the comic opera that is North Korea?

What foreign policy? Glare at US troops across the DMZ?

You're not comparing apples to oranges, you're comparing apples to rocks. They don't even bear the relationship of both being fruits.

[psyclon]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

It could be a great country, and it sure was built on great values. However, as the above illustrates it has drifted far from those values in the past couple decades especially.

in short, justice system is a joke, and so is the media. I would rather live in a place like singapore where laws are as tough as they get, yet you KNOW what you will get or not get for a given offense.

[Oldgamer]

Why not to talk about Iran foreign policy or freedom in North Korea?

Aside from being a red herring, no reason.

I live in the Empire. I don't live in Iran or North Korea. But since you brought it up...

Iran, established in it's current borders during the British Mandate, formerly part of the Persian Empire. A State of (if memory serves) 27 million people, has a foreign policy of keeping their head down and flapping their tongues. They have never in their modern history invaded another country, unless you count pushing the Iraqi army back some twenty kilometers across the border in repelling their invasion.

During that same period, how many nations has the USA invaded (fuck the pretext, just the number.)

I don't know. I was born in the latter part of the first half of that history. But off the top of my head I get, in my lifetime or just before it, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Haiti (twice), Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Panama, Columbia (repeatedly)... And I know this is not a complete list.

During the aforementioned time frame, Iran has pushed for, gotten, and enforced economic sanctions (which only ever strengthen the radicals under them) against, again, no country. The Empire has pushed for, gotten, and enforced so many international sanctions that even THEY lose track.

Your flag waving is annoying, to say the least, but you should REALLY pick better negative examples. Just because the master whose boots you lick so lovingly wants to invade Iran doesn't make them a good negative.

As for the comic opera that is North Korea?

What foreign policy? Glare at US troops across the DMZ?

You're not comparing apples to oranges, you're comparing apples to rocks. They don't even bear the relationship of both being fruits.

Oh, you forgot somehow participation in World War Two.
Two bad you don't want to live in Iran or North Korea and prefer US. Some dogs bite the feeding hands...
I'm sure your favorite president is Obama. And the most funny thing is you voted for him again.

[Oldgamer]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

It could be a great country, and it sure was built on great values. However, as the above illustrates it has drifted far from those values in the past couple decades especially.

in short, justice system is a joke, and so is the media. I would rather live in a place like singapore where laws are as tough as they get, yet you KNOW what you will get or not get for a given offense.

Why don't you talk about rules in Iran or Iraq, some people here like those countries so much. Over there woman would be killed if somebody rapes her. Sure the rapists would be free.
And again, why don't you really leave for Singapore?

[Mike Christ]

Why don't you talk about rules in Iran or Iraq, some people here like those countries so much.

Re: Opinion on the US

^

I don't think those countries are any better, for the record.

[psyclon]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

It could be a great country, and it sure was built on great values. However, as the above illustrates it has drifted far from those values in the past couple decades especially.

in short, justice system is a joke, and so is the media. I would rather live in a place like singapore where laws are as tough as they get, yet you KNOW what you will get or not get for a given offense.

Why don't you talk about rules in Iran or Iraq, some people here like those countries so much. Over there woman would be killed if somebody rapes her. Sure the rapists would be free.
And again, why don't you really leave for Singapore?

at the very least those countries you mention don't advertise themselves as bastillions of freedom, and their citizens don't believe that either. also, they don't go on invading random countries (Libya, Iraq) with made-up excuses every 5-10 years. In all, the US is probably one of the worst cases of a police state, and I personally feel a lot more free in China or Russia than in the US.

Singapore is a great place, and I would leave there given the chance. Any day.

and dont forget this democracy bullshit, either. Americans love to believe that their two-party system is the one and only truly democratic system in the world. Not to mention that really it does not make any REAL difference whether democrats or republicans are in power, have you not realized that yet?

[Oldgamer]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

It could be a great country, and it sure was built on great values. However, as the above illustrates it has drifted far from those values in the past couple decades especially.

in short, justice system is a joke, and so is the media. I would rather live in a place like singapore where laws are as tough as they get, yet you KNOW what you will get or not get for a given offense.

Why don't you talk about rules in Iran or Iraq, some people here like those countries so much. Over there woman would be killed if somebody rapes her. Sure the rapists would be free.
And again, why don't you really leave for Singapore?

at the very least those countries you mention don't advertise themselves as bastillions of freedom, and their citizens don't believe that either. also, they don't go on invading random countries (Libya, Iraq) with made-up excuses every 5-10 years. In all, the US is probably one of the worst cases of a police state, and I personally feel a lot more free in China or Russia than in the US.

Singapore is a great place, and I would leave there given the chance. Any day.

and dont forget this democracy bullshit, either. Americans love to believe that their two-party system is the one and only truly democratic system in the world. Not to mention that really it does not make any REAL difference whether democrats or republicans are in power, have you not realized that yet?

Do you ever been in China or Russia?

[crumbs]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

Right on, bro!  

[psyclon]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

It could be a great country, and it sure was built on great values. However, as the above illustrates it has drifted far from those values in the past couple decades especially.

in short, justice system is a joke, and so is the media. I would rather live in a place like singapore where laws are as tough as they get, yet you KNOW what you will get or not get for a given offense.

Why don't you talk about rules in Iran or Iraq, some people here like those countries so much. Over there woman would be killed if somebody rapes her. Sure the rapists would be free.
And again, why don't you really leave for Singapore?

at the very least those countries you mention don't advertise themselves as bastillions of freedom, and their citizens don't believe that either. also, they don't go on invading random countries (Libya, Iraq) with made-up excuses every 5-10 years. In all, the US is probably one of the worst cases of a police state, and I personally feel a lot more free in China or Russia than in the US.

Singapore is a great place, and I would leave there given the chance. Any day.

and dont forget this democracy bullshit, either. Americans love to believe that their two-party system is the one and only truly democratic system in the world. Not to mention that really it does not make any REAL difference whether democrats or republicans are in power, have you not realized that yet?

Do you ever been in China or Russia?

I have lived in Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Although HK doesn't count as China.

How about you, Oldgamer? Have you been to China or North Korea? or have only heard of these places on CNN?

[Oldgamer]

The biggest shortcoming of the US: The laws and judgements handed down vary GREATLY from state to state and jury from jury, and therefore in my opinion this takes away any feeling of 'rule of law'. Don't agree yet? Let me give you an example for the rule of law in America today: Morton Berger, a high school teacher gets 200 years for the possession of 20 lewd images of children. This happens in Arizona, where the 200 years is exactly the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentence for this crime of possessing 20 lewd images (10 years per count, each image a different count, to be served consecutively). Berger took this to the Sumpreme Court, which threw his case out without even hearing it. Why? because in America you dont discuss such taboo subjects, or else you will look bad. Not to mention that in a state like Hawaii this would not even result in his incarceration AT ALL, and even in neighboring states he would have gotten off with a suspended or a 1-2 year sentence. The federal law dictates 5 years maximum. Yet against all this, his quasi-life term was not ruled unconstitutional or cruel by any higher court.

Talking of which, let's now skip to 2013, when Terry Peters, the husband of the Bush era Transportation Secretary was sentenced to 14 years for raping a 7-year old girl. Arizona also, even the same county if I got it right. Have a look around, where can you find reports of either of these two? Google news will bring up 1-2 American reports on them.

This above example illustrates the rule of law in america where laws are made to please the masses, and if so need be, the media will do as told - just like in the so called worst communist regimes of the world. America, where downloading lewd images gets you life, while raping an actual child 14 years.

It could be a great country, and it sure was built on great values. However, as the above illustrates it has drifted far from those values in the past couple decades especially.

in short, justice system is a joke, and so is the media. I would rather live in a place like singapore where laws are as tough as they get, yet you KNOW what you will get or not get for a given offense.

Why don't you talk about rules in Iran or Iraq, some people here like those countries so much. Over there woman would be killed if somebody rapes her. Sure the rapists would be free.
And again, why don't you really leave for Singapore?

at the very least those countries you mention don't advertise themselves as bastillions of freedom, and their citizens don't believe that either. also, they don't go on invading random countries (Libya, Iraq) with made-up excuses every 5-10 years. In all, the US is probably one of the worst cases of a police state, and I personally feel a lot more free in China or Russia than in the US.

Singapore is a great place, and I would leave there given the chance. Any day.

and dont forget this democracy bullshit, either. Americans love to believe that their two-party system is the one and only truly democratic system in the world. Not to mention that really it does not make any REAL difference whether democrats or republicans are in power, have you not realized that yet?

Do you ever been in China or Russia?

I have lived in Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Although HK doesn't count as China.

How about you, Oldgamer? Have you been to China or North Korea? or have only heard of these places on CNN?

You been in those countries as a tourist, you did not live there. China made some success only because they start to move to free market direction, and in most places people still very poor. In big cities they live better, thank to the jobs moved from US.
I lived in Russia, not been a tourist. My opinion based on my experience, not based on CNN, probably yours is cause that station is for leftists.
I wish you live there, probably you would have other opinion and more real knowledge.

[tvbcof]

Do you ever been in China or Russia?

I have lived in Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Although HK doesn't count as China.

How about you, Oldgamer? Have you been to China or North Korea? or have only heard of these places on CNN?

I'll guess that he's one of the immigrants who feels that he has to be a hard-core right-winger to prove his allegiance to the U.S.  I think he said he's Russian or something.  Seems like a Fox News sort of guy.

I've not been to Russia, but I have been to China.  I most certainly did NOT feel more free there.  I felt safe enough because there seemed to be pretty a pretty significant understanding that Westerners were to be treated well by the authorities.  My friends did not seem comfortable with the police at all (and they were perfectly normal software engineers and so on.)  I don't think one can put lipstick on the pig and paint China as some bastion of liberty and personal freedom.  My main hope is that we can keep the U.S. from sinking down to that level.  Of course I hope that China continues to improve, but I live in the U.S. and I care a lot more about what happens here.  And of course I care deeply about our deplorable behavior globally.